Earliest Human Occupation (12,700 to 11,700 years ago)
The site in Minas Gerais View, Brazil, revealed initial human presence, marking an early human occupation of the region.
Archaeological evidence included stone tools and other artifacts from this period.
First Burial Pattern (10,600 to 9,700 years ago)
Bodies were found mostly intact, with specific burial positions, such as a child seated with legs folded. This period marks the earliest funerary practices observed in Lagoa Santa.
Second Burial Pattern (9,600 to 9,400 years ago)
Dismemberment practices began, with specific arrangements of body parts, such as heads being severed post-mortem and hands placed over the face.
Additional modifications included burning, cutting, and adding red pigment to bones, along with the careful arrangement of remains in specific bundles.
Third Burial Pattern (8,600 to 8,200 years ago)
This phase involved fully disarticulated bones in circular pits, suggesting complex burial traditions.
Pits held bones of single individuals, with larger bones broken to fit within these small tombs.
Archaeological Significance
Findings showed a cultural evolution over time, with sophisticated funerary practices distinguishing these groups.
Evidence challenges previous views of a single homogeneous group; instead, a succession of culturally distinct populations inhabited Lagoa Santa.
Luzia Skull (11,000 years ago) and Paleoamerican Features
Luzia, the oldest skull discovered, pointed to African-like morphology, impacting theories on human migration.
DNA research is anticipated to clarify relationships among successive groups in Lagoa Santa, potentially linking them to modern Indigenous groups like the Botocudo, who share physical traits with the early inhabitants.
